Fathers rights

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Child
custody cases can get ugly. When a married couple seeks divorce,
children can sometimes be at the root of the issue. Custody issues can
cause each parent to use the children as a pawn to get what he or she
wants. Sometimes, each parent wants full custody of their child, which
causes a long, extended battle in the courtroom. But this doesn't always
have to be the case. There are ways to settle your child custody case
outside of the courthouse, and to work amicably between you and your
soon-to-be former spouse.

Write
your spouse a settlement letter near the beginning of your divorce
case. Lay out what you feel is important in regards to the children.
Write the settlement letter in a friendly, informative and caring tone,
and explain your reasons for wanting the custody arrangement that you
are seeking (joint? sole?).

Use
modern day technologies to talk out custody issues, utilizing email and
phone text messages which can be documented for court. It is important
to document everything as much as possible--oral agreements will not
hold up in court. However, if you conduct civil discussions regarding
child custody through email, you will be able to put thought and
consideration into what you are requesting. In addition, you will also
have documented proof of any agreements your spouse decides he or she is
willing to work with you on. This will prove helpful if you and your
spouse still end up in the courtroom arguing over custody, because you
will have documented proof as to what he or she agreed on. This will
help you solidify what you were both willing to work out in regards to
the child.

Negotiate
with a mediator. Instead of taking your case to court where you may
feel highly intimidated and stressed, you can always request mediation
with your spouse in regards to your child custody case. Mediators are
third-party advocates that sit with parents and helps them determine
what is in the best interests of the children.

Mediating
and negotiating your child custody case, along with child support,
outside the courtroom is faster and less costly than going through the
courts.

Imagine--you're seventeen, hold down a part-time job, and are successful
in school. You're on the school's football team, baseball team, and
have no criminal history or history of drug use or alcohol use. Your
girlfriend gets pregnant, tells you you're the father, and you prepare
accordingly to have the child raised and cared for in your home by your
mother while you're in school. The crib is assembled and the nursery is
complete, a whole separate room in your parents' home for your new
arrival.

Delivery day comes. The mother of your child refuses you as the father and puts the child up for adoption.

Like most dads you would go through the courts to
fight for the rights to be the parent to your child--even if your
girlfriend or ex feels the child
should be put in adoptive care.

In a recent court ruling in Bakersfield, California, a
17-year-old father, Christian Diaz, was denied parental rights to his
own child, forcing the baby into adoptive care. A willing father was
denied the chance to raise his child, just because the child's mother
made a decision on her own, left his name off of the birth certificate,
and persuaded hospital authorities that he wasn't the father and to keep
him away from the child.

Father's rights are necessary. Cases like this, where a
fit and willing father is stepping up to the plate to be a dad, remind
us that there is still a long road ahead of us. Being with our children
and raising them is a right we have, and until the courts can see this,
we will continue to fight for our rights!

This is just wrong and he should have custody of his child!!! Just how can a court do this?